Eisenhower 53-69 US foreign policy Flashcards
What was the ‘New Look’ policy? what was the aim?
Eisenhower’s defense policy that emphasised the use of nuclear weaponry rather than conventional forces.
Reconcile the conflicting demands of the military and treasury. Military wanted to spend more, treasury wanted to spend less.
What did Secretary of State John Dulles announce in January 1954?
USA would use massive retaliatory power to halt aggression. This generated criticism - saying Eisenhower was pursuing a policy of brinkmanship.
Why did Eisenhower focus on reducing military spending?
confident that US power demanded on economic strength rather than weaponry. And that continued high military budget would lead to inflation
How was ‘New Look’ tested in Vietnam?
Eisenhower discussed using nuclear weapons to help the French, but decided against it.
What happened between Quemoy and Matsu in August 1954?
Communist China promised to liberate Taiwan and shelled the Nationalists in Quemoy.
How was ‘New Look’ tested in Quemoy and Matsu?
Eisenhower made it clear that the invasion would not go unopposed, yet he did not bomb the mainland as JCS requested, because he said Quemoy and Matsu were always part of mainland China.
What did critics of massive retaliation say?
What did supporters of massive retaliation say?
critics: That it was inflexible, leaving the USA with only one option in a crisis.
supporters:
Said the threat of massive retaliation would mean there would be no crises. They argued that it would stop Communist aggression and expansion, but events in Vietnam and China show otherwise.
What was Eisenhower’s policy on Eastern Europe?
He didn’t really do anything about it, despite opportunities in Hungary in 1956. Eisenhower continued Truman’s policy of containment, despite calls for the rollback of communism. Although you could say that Eisenhower’s creation of South Vietnam counts as a rollback in Asia.
What was the greatest change in foreign policy under Eisenhower?
He ended the Korean War, although that had already been Truman’s aim
How did Eisenhower deal with revolutionaries in latin america or asia he disliked?
Hoped the USSR would refrain from helping revolutionaries out of fear of massive retaliation
Sent US military advisers to train native troops to oppose revolutionaries (Vietnam)
Organized military organisations such as SEATO
Eisenhower ‘bought off’ Bolivian revolutionaries
CIA used covert operations in Guatemala, Iran and Cuba
How did the Eisenhower administration handle the economic situation in Latin America?
Felt that ‘strongmen’ would be the best guarantee of internal stability in Latin American countries.
Left investment in Latin America to private capital, but private capital naturally preferred investment in stable areas. So Latin America was left largely unsupported by US economic policy.
In what ways did the United Fruit Company exploit their 40,000 workers in Guatemala?
Workers forced to purchase the company’s medical care
Had to buy necessities from the company’s store
Had to rent the company’s accommodation
Paid very low wages
What concessions did UFC have from the Guatemalan government?
Minimal taxes
Protection from competition
Domination of Guatemalan ports, shipping, railroads and communications
What led to the election of Arévalo when?
1950
Student riots and the middle class promised a national-liberal revolution led by Arevalo.
What deal did Árbenz offer to UFC?
Took around 15% of unused UFC land and offered to pay the company $600,000 (This is what they said it was worth in the 1950 tax return). BUT UFC undervalued the land in 1950, so that they could avoid paying lots of tax, they said it was actually worth $16 million. Árbenz refused this deal
What did United Fruit do to draw attention to their issue in Guatemala?
They were not convinced the government would help them because they lost their land. So they said that Árbenz was a Communist, which caught the attention of the Communist government.
Why did Árbenz seek military aid from USSR? What did this aid look like?
Árbenz believed that the USA and Nicaragua were conspiring to overthrow him.
May 1954 - Soviet’s let the Škoda company export weapons to Árbenz.
How was Árbenz overthrown? When?
June 1954 - Castillo Armas and around 200 men entered Guatemala
What was the behind the scenes role of the US in overthrowing Árbenz?
1953, begin trying to overthrow him.
100 Guatemalans were given military training, CIAc chose Castillo Armas to lead the invasion.
Armas was given money, an army, a radio station in Nicaragua
What are the two opposing opinions on the overthrow of Árbenz?
Positive: New government in Guatemala was more acceptable, the covert operations were a success.
Negative: US involvement alienated Guatemalans and many other Latin Americans.
What are 3 different perspectives on what motivated the USA to have covert operations in Guatemala?
Stephen Schlesinger and Stephen Kinzer (1982) - Biggest contributor was Eisenhower’s desire to support the United Fruit Company
Piero Gleijeses (1991)
Emphasises activities of the Guatemalan Communist Party as the prime US intervention motivation.
How did the US misunderstand the situation in Guatemala?
Arbenz had been democratically elected and was a reformist, not a Communist.
There were a few Communists in national legislature and in labour movements, but they had little influence in important institutions.
Why was Eisenhower less involved in Bolivia than Guatemala?
Bolivians persuaded Eisenhower that they were not Communists, indeed they were more like fascists.
Bolivia was a distant nation
USA had few investments in Bolivia.
What was the Republican view on Latin America? How did Nixon change things slightly?
nixon was vice president btw.
Republicans wanted stability, anti-Communism and a favourable climate for US business in Latin America.
Latin America was not of much interest to Eisenhower, but Nixon pushed hard for more help in Latin America.
